Microsoft seems to be pleased with the growth rate of Windows Phone smartphone. In June, the company's senior Windows Phone product manager Larry Lieberman said "we think we're solidly the third ecosystem right now." Now, the company claims that the Windows Phone device sales are greatly outpacing the overall growth rate of the smartphone market.

During the keynote address at today's 2013 Microsoft Worldwide Partners Conference, Windows marketing head Tami Weller said sales of Windows Phone devices are six times faster than the overall smartphone market. She also repeated what Lieberman said that, in Microsoft's eyes, Windows Phone is firmly set as the third smartphone ecosystem.

Reller promoted devices like Nokia's Lumia 925 and 928 smartphones during the keynote speech; she urged the partners who were attending WPC 2013 to strongly consider making Windows Phone apps.